One of the first superstars of Welsh rugby, Arthur Gould, known as "monkey" because of his fondness for climbing trees, was the outstanding player of his age, an allround athlete and stalwart of Newport for 16 years. He played 27 Tests for Wales from 1885, until 1897 when, as a vote of thanks for his matchwinning efforts, the Welsh public had raised him a testimonial running into hundreds of pounds. In the opinion of the IFRB, this action contravened the rules governing professionalism in the sport. After a long and bitter row, Wales withdrew from international fixtures in the spring of 1897, eventually returning to play England at Blackheath the following season. Gould, however, had played his last game. Andrew Miller